Belov Arembepe in details

By Rafael Bortoloti

Belov Engenharia began, in February 2026, the construction of Belov Arembepe, its newest SDSV (Shallow Diving Support Vessel). The vessel already enters service with a four-year charter contract signed with Petrobras and is scheduled for delivery in 2027, within a maximum timeframe of 18 months.

Belov Arembepe is the fourth SDSV in the company’s fleet, being the third built at the Group’s Shipyard and carries the legacy of two well-established projects: Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá, delivered in 2020. While it shares the same basic design as these vessels, Belov Arembepe incorporates significant upgrades, resulting directly from lessons learned over years of operating the previous units.

Designed for shallow diving operations and intensive use of ROVs, Belov Arembepe will feature the most advanced onboard technology available on the global market. The vessel adopts power generation and automation architectures focused on energy efficiency, operational redundancy, and high-precision DP2-class dynamic positioning, expanding the range of offshore missions with high safety standards and operational availability.

With an overall length of 40.50 meters, beam of 10.98 meters, gross tonnage of 499 tons, and installed power of 3,200 BHP, Arembepe uses diesel-electric propulsion with waterjets—a combination that has already proven pioneering and highly efficient in Belov’s previous projects.

BELOV: A strong commitment to Bahia

Like Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá, Belov Arembepe is being entirely built at Belov Shipyard, located in the sheltered waters of Aratu Bay, within Todos os Santos Bay, Bahia. The shipyard’s strategic location—just 27 km from Salvador International Airport, 31 km from the Port of Aratu, and 9.5 km from highway BR-324—combined with its current production capacity of 5,000 tons per year, allows the company to execute highly complex projects in carbon steel and aluminum, for both newbuildings and ship repairs.

The project has recently secured financing approved by the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM) in the amount of R$ 115 million, reinforcing the role of the Brazilian government in strengthening the national shipbuilding industry. For Guilherme Falcão, Project Manager at Belov Shipyard, the impact goes beyond technology.

“Belov Shipyard reflects the company’s commitment not only to technical excellence, but also to regional development, by fostering jobs and innovation in the sector. Executing a disruptive, highly complex project with strong local content and a high level of technological integration has placed Belov and Bahia at the forefront of naval technology,” the executive comments.

This commitment is already reflected in factual numbers. Since the start of the SDSV projects, approximately 600 direct jobs and more than 3,000 indirect jobs have been generated, during a period when Bahia’s shipbuilding industry was facing a severe downturn. In addition, around 230 direct jobs were created for vessel operations, boosting supplier development and workforce qualification.

Belov’s tradition of naming its vessels after beaches in Bahia reinforces the company’s connection to the state where Aleixo Belov, founder of the company, established himself and concentrated his main assets. This relationship becomes even more relevant given Bahia’s strategic positioning on the Brazilian offshore map, between the Campos and Santos Basins to the south and the Equatorial Margin to the north.

In a scenario where few companies in Brazil build vessels for their own fleets, Belov stands out alongside industry giants. On the eve of completing 45 years, in November 2026, the company reaffirms—through Belov Arembepe—its pioneering vocation and its confidence in the future of the Brazilian shipbuilding industry.

BELOV AREMBEPE particulars

– Delivery year: 2027
– Current contract: Petrobras
– Overall length: 40.50 meters
– Beam: 10.98 meters
– Deadweight: 518.10 tons
– Gross tonnage: 499 tons
– Installed power: 3,200 BHP
– Propulsion: diesel-electric system with waterjets
– DP class: DP2

BELOV HUMAITÁ particulars

– Delivery year: 2020
– Current contract: Petrobras
– Overall length: 40.50 meters
– Beam: 10.98 meters
– Deadweight: 518.10 tons
– Gross tonnage: 499 tons
– Installed power: 3,200 BHP
– Propulsion: diesel-electric system with waterjets
– DP class: DP2

BELOV AMARALINA particulars

– Delivery year: 2020
– Current contract: Brava
– Overall length: 40.50 meters
– Beam: 10.98 meters
– Deadweight: 518.10 tons
– Gross tonnage: 499 tons
– Installed power: 3,200 BHP
– Propulsion: diesel-electric system with waterjets
– DP class: DP2

Q&A with Belov

Tell us more about Belov Shipyard.

Guilherme Falcão, Project Manager – Belov Shipyard

“We are undergoing a phase of expansion and modernization at Belov Shipyard, which will increase our capacity to more than 11,000 tons per year. State-of-the-art infrastructure, combined with robust industrial processes and a highly qualified technical team, will allow us in the coming months to:

• Execute multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of electro-electronic integration and automation;
• Position ourselves as one of the leading shipyards in electric and hybrid vessels, as well as complex conversions;
• Achieve efficiency gains in cutting, assembly, welding, system integration, and commissioning, with strict compliance to schedules, costs, and class requirements;
• Continuously advance in QSMS, productivity, and delivery timelines.

This level of capability consolidates Belov Shipyard’s position as a reference in technologically complex vessels, reinforcing its vocation for delivering highly reliable specialized vessels to the Brazilian offshore, port, and inland waterways markets.”

What was the average construction time for each SDSV?

Guilherme Falcão:

“Each project was executed within the contractual schedule, with the main milestones being contract signing and delivery to the end client: Petrobras. Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá were completed in parallel in just 16 months and delivered in the first quarter of 2020, at the peak of the pandemic—representing a milestone in the history of both the shipyard and the national shipbuilding industry.

Belov Arembepe began construction in February 2026 and has a contractual timeframe of 18 months, consolidating Belov’s commitment to strict deadlines and technical requirements, with no cost changes throughout construction.”

How was the financing through the FMM? What were the amounts?

Juracy Vilas-Bôas, Director

“The projects relied on the essential support of the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), reaffirming the Brazilian government’s commitment to strengthening the shipbuilding industry. As a reference for the investment value of each DSV (Diving Support Vessel), Belov Arembepe recently had its financing approved by the Fund in the amount of R$ 115 million. This financial support demonstrates institutional confidence in Belov’s governance and management, as well as in the technical capacity and delivery track record of the Shipyard, which have characterized the Group’s performance in the Brazilian naval market.”

Were there any curiosities, challenges, or notable events during construction?

Juracy Vilas-Bôas

“Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá represented significant technological milestones on the global naval scene. To build the world’s first diesel-electric vessels equipped with waterjet propulsion and DP2 dynamic positioning, several established suppliers had to modify their products. Basic design companies, propulsion suppliers, engine manufacturers, DP system providers, and others did not have off-the-shelf solutions that fully met our requirements.

Furthermore, integrating national and imported systems from multiple continents—along with all the challenges inherent to pioneering projects—highlighted the high level of engineering involved and Belov’s ability to lead technically demanding projects. This innovation was recognized by The Royal Institution of Naval Architects as the most significant small vessel of 2020, as well as by Work Boat World as the best vessel among all OSVs and DSVs of 2020. Another interesting fact: to launch Belov Amaralina and Belov Humaitá, the shipyard had to build a floating dock in tandem with the vessel construction. Today, this dock is responsible for dry-docking virtually all service vessels operating in Salvador and is essential for launching other shipyard projects.”